Opening doors to hearts
by SeraphineKH
Summary: Sequel to wrinkle in time. KairiXSora. What happens when his heart is opened by another closed heart? For those who love problems


**This is the sequel to Wrinkle in Time. Hope it is just as gd.**

**Adapted from a Singapore production; Angel**

**Opening new doors to heart.**

_Strangers are merely another term of friends  
We have yet not met.  
Like it or not,  
You will discover them like gold;  
More precious than it is to the eye._

Sora is sitting on a park bench, thinking to himself as he always does, wondering about the part and parcel of life. If he is to catch himself doing it, Sora would scowl and mutter about time wasting. But unfortunately and maybe, more fortunately for him, he can't catch himself. It is like in his blood, running through the stream in his body the need to reflect and think. He wasn't always like that when he was a teenager and he never thinks during his childhood. It comes like some mould he has accumulated from scars of his experience while rolling down the hills of life.

He is startled by a passing crow, cowing a haunting tune that makes his heart creep. The crow perches on a nearby branch and flies again to a more comfortable spot on the Jasmine tree in the middle of Willow park. Nobody is there, not even its daily visitor, the blond guy. Sora once again revert his eyes to the sky, akin to him yet so far away to reach. Sora…

FLASHBACK

"You mother named you Sora, as she always wants you to fly free in life." His father explained. "You were a wild kid, and she never stops you like another. She believes in freedom, not limitations. Though sometimes," He says, frowning. "I can't approve of some things she teaches you."

Young Sora giggles at his statement and rock forwards and backwards in his armchair, kicking his feet as he rocks. His mother recently had tried to teach him about how babies came about and this is not really suitable (to society's standards) to be taught at his age. But being the inquisitive child, he merely laps it all up with a building hunger of curiosity.

"Dear," says Mrs Tobu as she stacks clothes in a huge basket on the rug. "I do believe that you are wrong on that part. Approve or not, he's just going to learn it along in life, no? I'm just readying him for the hurdles yet to come." She has an eyebrow raised but the gentle smile never leave her lips.

"And another thing I don't approve of is her outspokenness. But without it, I don't think I will ever fall for her." He continues with a wink in a loud whisper.

Mrs Tobu doesn't blush but the smile grows wider in acknowledgement. "You sly fox, if it was not for my charm, you will never even bat an eyelash."

"I know. That charm is a bonus." Mr Tobu replies, a playful grin in place.

Young Sora would then look at his father, a brown haired, tall, slim and good natured man with a young face. He then turned to his mother, a woman with blond hair and blue eyes with a comforting air around her. He felt like the world is okay.

That used to be the way things are before his mother grew ill.

Sora never learnt of this until it was too late. When the news comes, however, it was a real shock to him as he would always believe that he will be told about anything, big or small, an influence of his mother.

There was still time though, to see her to sleep before her last breathe was expelled.

Mr Tobu has tears in his eyes the day she was due. When Sora came through the door, he saw him at once and it instills fear in the deep pit of his faint heart as his father would never cry. This made him wonder about the situation, so bad it must be to make his father cry. He ran up to the old and tired man and hug his legs, burying his face in the tough cloth of his jeans.

"Papa, what happened?" Sora asked, his pitch a few octaves higher.

"Your mother…wants to see you. Go, Son."

This frightens him further as his father never calls him son, only his first name.

"You have a name so why a general term?" His father would say but it seemed that this situation didn't apply.

Sora then so naively push away those thoughts, determined that the situation might not be so bad. He believed with all his innocent heart, a small hope or dream that may guide him to his desired outcome.

Nothing he experience afterwards was desired.

The first impression he had for the lady on his bed is a sickly woman, sick for many months and perhaps dying. When he discovered it to be his mother, he ran beside her bed, kneeling and worried. He doesn't feel horror though as he never would think that his mother will die. He simply ordered his mind to see her as temporarily sick and that was what he got, seeing her as sick.

What people see all the time is not truly what they will have, however.

As he swept away the stray hair drenched with her sweat, the blue eyes of Sora peered down to her own dull blue ones as she tries to speak to him.

"Sora…" She then coughed, blood splattered on the soiled handkerchief. "Sora listen to me…"

"Mom, you must rest. Mom, you must rest." Sora repeated, hi s voice getting louder and higher.

His mother merely shook her head, more urgently now to tell him something before she slipped away. "I want you to have one last lesson with me. One last Sora… before I die." She then coughed again in her handkerchief, shivering madly and her hair all over her face.

"We're going to learn about death."

FLASHBACK END

Sora unconsciously clenches his hands into tight fists, his knuckles turning white. It was unexpected, it was horribly awful and woe stuck to him like a disease, filling his days with emptiness. How painful the days following it was especially the funeral. People there simply wandered around, here and there telling each other finer points of her life and some other meaningless things. Every word they say struck a javelin in his heart as they reminded him of the loss of his mother.

Presently, his mobile phone rings and Sora automatically flips it open and press it to his ear.

"Sora, I have another job for you…if you are up to it." says the voice on the other end. It sounded smooth and unrecognizable as if the owner has lied and pretend for many years leading up to the tongue.

"You know me. Where?" Sora reply in his gruff voice laced with many years of experience of hatred and steam.

"The alley facing Willow Park with graffiti, between the school and row of houses. Got it?"

"I'm on it." Sora then flips his mobile close and stands up, his eyes looking straight at the gap between the two buildings.

A young blond suddenly pops out around the corner, forcing Sora to sit back on the bench. She then settles herself comfortably at the root of the Jasmine tree, looking at the blooming flowers above her.

After some time, Sora bolts cautiously from his place, pausing to look behind to ensure that he isn't followed. The daily visitor now is walking to the park. He too pauses, seeing the girl with wide eyes. He then rushes to her side.

Sora turns back to his path and with his ears and eyes open, he slinks to the alley.

…..

Sora is winding his way down the rarely-used pathway, graffiti sprayed on the dull grey walls, cheering up the place with vulgar words indeed. He must be in safe territory now. Nobody will ever enter here. Who wants to anyway? They are all scared to be caught by unmoral characters. Sora smirks. He is one himself alright. How ironic, at least to him.

As he trotted past various empty boxes and bins combing for a certain item, he spotted a red haired teenage girl sitting on the wall her eyes surveying the street beyond. This stops him dead. Is she another nosy passer-by or merely the girlfriend of a tough gangster? She doesn't look like it. Instead, she looks rather absent minded and dreamy, not a quality of the tough chicks gangsters drool after. Sora smirks again. Dealing with her should be easy.

"Are you lost?" Sora asks as he stops by her.

He wants to be casual, not arousing any suspicion. She might be wimpy but she might have a chance to slip off and blab. Prevention is better that cure. The cure is better not discussed though.

The girl seems to snap in the trance she was in and at once examine the newcomer with interest.

"Yes, you can say that." She answers dreamily. "Say, have you seen my sister?"

Her eagerness overwhelms him at first. She is clearly very brave or very stupid to be acting that way around him. But there is nothing behind her eyes that suggests so. In fact, sincerity shines in the blueness of her iris. Sora feels unnerved by them and takes a few moments to calm down before he answers.

"No, can't say I have. What does she looks like?" Sora says gruffly.

The girl giggles and says brightly, "Why don't you use your real voice?"

He once more got hit by unnerving spells. He is starting to feel uncomfortable talking to her. Could it be…?

The girl swings her leg and launches herself off in the air. She then does a graceful flip and lands beautifully on her toes. Straightening up, she smiles shyly at him while showing him her white teeth.

"I'm Kairi. Nice to meet you!" She chirps in a childish voice.

"Sora." Is his one word reply. He shoves his hands in his pockets and determined not to look her in the eye. Eyes are like double edged swords. You can either disarm a person using them or be read easily from them. She must be a person who can read well.

"Why don't you look at me?" says Kairi sorrowfully, like she really means it.

Sora found himself being drawn to her eyes by an unrecognized force. They connect eyes and the uncomfortable feeling begins to build up in the pit of his stomach again.

"Ahh, that's better. Anyway, we should always be eye to eye to be better travelling companions." Kairi says, her smile stretching.

Travelling companions? "Hey, I never say I'd help you find your sister!" Sora protests loudly. His voice echoes in the alleyway and make several birds at the dumpster fly away in a boiling cloud.

"Shhh! You're scaring away those poor birds!" Kairi hushes him. "You do catch things quick!"

"It's a part of the job. You either get it or you're done." He growls while narrowing his eyes.

"What a demanding job you have." She replies thoughtfully. "I rather have a smooth day at job, like an artist or maybe a merchant. All they do is to sit around, counting their stocks. My sister's an artist." Kairi says excitedly. "She's a real deal. She can draw beautifully."

"I'm not going to help you find your sister!" Sora says firmly and walks away to emphasize his point.

Pitter patters echoes in the alley way as Sora discovers Kairi tailing him. He stops and turns to face her.

"Go away, Kairi. Scram! You better shove off." Sora threatens. "You better not mess with the wrong guy!" He points a finger at her in an angry manner yet, how can those words from his mouth sounds foreign to his heart?

"I have the right guy, I know." Kairi says, battering his threats away. "Please, oh please help me." She looks at him yearningly. "I know, let's make a bet!"

"Fine, if you lose, you better disappear." Sora says, his teeth clenching.

"If I win, you must help me!" Kairi continues with enthusiasm.

She scans the road beyond before pointing to a passer-by on the road that is in a hurry. "That guy will stop by a toy shop for a while." She prognosticates.

Sora laughs rudely. "Excuse me, but a man in a posh suit hurrying will stand no chance to waste time in such place."

"We'll see. Let's follow him!" She scurries off without another word, leaving Sora in the alley. He is tempted to let her go but a strong sense of duty rise in him. He must find the package first though.

He spots it at once lying in between two rubbish bins. He stoops down and scoops the small brown paper bag in his hand and tucks it snugly in his pocket. Sora then rushes to Kairi who by then is a small red dot in a distance.

…..

He manages to catch her in a few seconds flat and steps into rhythm with her walk. She leads him pass the school down the road to the row of shops opposite the row of houses. The man in the coat is barely in sight as he turns into corners but Kairi manages to still tail him.

Kairi then holds one hand, a signal to stop, and tip toes to the end of the corner. She pokes her head from it.

"Watch and see." She whispers.

So Sora watches and sees. His eyes follow the man as he passes several shops and nearing the toy shop. The man passes the shop with only a slight glance.

Sora grins with victory. "You lose."

"Shh." Kairi hushes him again.

Sora sighs exasperatedly and continues to watch the man. The man suddenly slows down and stops. He turns and walks back to a certain shop. He pauses for a while before entering it. Over head, 'TOYS R'US' is placed, rather loud and ostentatious with its bright colors.

"See?"

Sora is loss of words.

"He has a child by the looks of him. He might be busy but he's still a family man. So I win!" She exclaims.

…

The clock strikes twelve, echoing around town and vibrating back to the source. SOra and Kairi have been wandering around town, not knowing where to go and who to ask for. Sora has been trying very hard to be patient but that is a lie and he knows it. He is patient for the first time in his life. Nothing is tried, not even the feeling of amusement as Kairi plays with a flock of children and acting like a goof as the thrilled children scream with delight at her antics.

But the patience is slowing running out like a clock on low battery. Time is oozing out from his grip as he is reluctantly chained to his bet with the red head. The red head certainly acts like that time is not of essential in their quest now. The small packet becomes heavier with each step he takes and it burns hotly in his pocket.

They finally stop at Willow Park for a break. Kairi throws herself on the bench he was sitting that morning and sighs with contentment. Sora, after some time, too sits beside her though he keeps his distance. He is sitting in a straight position, his back perpendicular to the bench seat and eyes looking things straight ahead. His lips are still set in the neutral straight line and his eyes guarded.

Kairi notices this odd position and scoot over closer, examining him blatantly. Sora automatically scoots away. Kairi smiles a small smile and in the situation that seems so much like a game, she deliberately scoots nearer. Sora scoots away. They keep on the game until Sora can scoot away no more. He turns his eyes to the now giggling red head as she leans back heavily, chest rising and falling with laughter.

"What's so funny?" He asks bluntly.

"You. Why do you do that?" Kairi replies, muffled by her laughter.

Sora merely scowls. "I just happen to like personal space."

Kairi finally wipes the last of the moisture around her eyes and her blue eyes, wide and earnest, glance at his own. Sora suddenly feels a jolt of electricity as their eyes connects and he retreats back hastily, lowering his eyes to the peeling bench.

"That's not what I mean. Your seating position looks very cautious. You look like a wolf alone in the wilderness. A sad, sad wolf. Alone." She says like a teacher teaching toddlers. "So alone…"

"I like being alone." Sora replies harshly. "This is me. If you can't accept it so be it."

"I can accept you. But I can't accept who you are trying to be." Kairi says, her tone now a gentle vibration.

Sora suddenly lifts his head up and once again, two pairs of blue eyes connect. He expects scorn, mocking stares or even hatred but only a pure look of innocence and care blend in her features. They shimmer strongly in the blueness of her iris. But along with innocence and care, pity is seen too to grace her features.

She pities him and the life he choose to lead.

That pushes Sora once again in his shell and he lowers his eyes again. He would not be pitied. Isn't he strong from all the years of solitude? His years of hurt and pain would not be wasted away by this simple emotion by this simple girl. Pity from a stranger is meaningless. And who is she trying to act, all knowingly like his mother?

Sora stands up suddenly. "I have to go."

"But we have a bet!" Kairi protests justifiably.

"I'll be back. I have a job to complete." Sora answers firmly, a shimmer of gruffness lacing his voice. "Bye."

"Wait!" cries the soft voice but he blocks it out and walks quickly away.

He does need to complete a job. But first…

Sora turns to a deserted alley and plunge deep down in the darkness of the shadows made by the tall buildings. Once the cold and dark engulfs him completely, Sora stops. His hands supports him, pushing against the vandalized wall, his head tuck between his arms. The wound in his heart finally becomes open as he let tears flow freely from his unguarded eyes.

"Mother…"

It is nearly two hours when he finally stops grieving. Sora is sitting on the dirty ground, his legs sprawled and head looking up to the sky. His tear stained eyes follows the outline of a passing bird as it swoops around, above. Its wings are large and wide. It cries sharply in the endless sky as it finally flies out of view. Sora stretches out his hand, trying to reach out to the vanishing bird.

_"You mother named you Sora, as she always wants you to fly free in life."_

He smiles. Weakness and lies, all of them. He stands up and brushes the dust from his jeans. The word and memory might be there but now, it is time to go back to reality. He has waste enough time over grief and grief does no good. He should be closed to grief now but somehow, the simple girl opens it again.

"The girl is my enemy." Sora realizes. "I must not go near her again."

Thus, when Sora emerges out from the alley, he takes the path away from Willow Park. He does hesitate and his steps are all unconfident. But life goes on and to be at the future, he must shed the ones who try to pull him to his past.

….

He has finally completes his job. The package is now delivered safely and he is paid already. But despite going on with what he should do, Sora still feels unsettled.

_"I can accept you. But I can't accept who you are trying to be."_

It disturbs and infects him like no other. Why is she still there, inside of him? It's like an essence of her stuck and now, he is getting all these terrible headaches. He can't shake it off and he can't ignore it. But he also can't let it in him. It is poison and it is weakness.

It screams.

"Huh?" Sora immediately perks up, all ears and eyes as he recognize the scream. It doesn't sound fake and only a particular person can make it sound so much like her.

"Kairi." He whispers and runs towards the source. He doesn't hesitate this time and his strides are all confident. He doesn't even realize his eyes are now changed. Instead of the iciness cool shade he is accustomed to, he has the warm burning flame ignited at the very depths of his pupils, the flame of determination.

….

He runs to another deserted alley and turn to a corner, another corner and another. The city might be reeking with alleys but Sora knows the maze passage like the back of his hands. He finally turns to a hidden corner and comes face to face with a disturbing sight.

Kairi, the red head girl at the end of the blind alley, has her back against the vandalized wall and she is breathing hard, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her face looks scared but somewhere, he still sense tranquility in her. How can she still stay calm, he doesn't know but all he knows is that he must save her and beat the three guys that are cornering her. They look weedy enough but they are all armed with a jagged blade and it looks sharp.

His presence is noted as the three guys all turn to see the newcomer. They hiss as they recognize him as someone else; Sora the silent but strong freelance fighter. He might be a lone wolf on his own but they know better than to cross him.

"Hey." One of them greets him like a long lost brother. "You're just in time man. Here's a chick to look at. She's one fine specimen, I tell ya."

Sora's fist clenches as he refers Kairi as a 'specimen'. He must keep his cool however. They might treat him like one of them but he knows the danger they carry. They are a part of the clan of gangsters in this quiet city and if they ever blab about his 'weakness', he'll be forced to look over his back for the rest of his life. Kairi too, would be in danger. He starts to spin a web in his mind, twitching threads here and there. Finally, the web is complete.

"She's mine, dude. Now get outta here. She's my mate." He says at once in perfect gangster slang.

The three guys looks suddenly scared and the immediately scurry out like frightened rats out from the alley.

Sora's eyes follow them until they disappear at a bend somewhere in the maze before he turns to the shivering girl on the ground. She flinches when he takes a step towards her but Sora keeps on walking until he is in front of her. He slowly kneels down and strokes her on the head like a cat.

"There, there…"He coos though he has no idea where the soft voice comes from or how his touch suddenly becomes to gentle. "I'm here now, Kairi. It's me, Sora."

Her eyes look up to his own and he smiles as the normal color is returning fast to her cheeks.

"Sora…I want my sister. I want to go home." She mews like a frighten kitten. However, she makes no move to go nearer for comfort or even stop shivering at his touch. He understands at once. She's afraid of him, this foreign him that commands the three thugs like a whip on a horse.

Surprisingly, Sora feels disappointed for her fright. He doesn't want to hurt her anymore and he doesn't want to be feared by her. Sora closes the gap between him and Kairi as he engulfs her in a comforting hug. She stirs a bit but finally stops. She's asleep.

…..

Traces of orange and pink has already streak across the sky. Day is turning to night as the shadow of the night is emerging. The school clock chimes seven and the passer bys on the streets are becoming sparse. Birds no longer chirp but settles in their nests comfortably or their perch. Crickets begin to sing the night melody and fireflies from the piece of wilderness at the back of Willow Park drift lazily around.

Sora is sitting on the park bench, Kairi beside him. Her head is resting on his lap and his hand is still stroking her hair slowly. The night wind suddenly rushes up to them and Kairi twitches. Sora immediately takes off his jacket and puts it on the sleeping figure. He then falls back to enjoying the night life around him.

It lasts only for a few minutes. Kairi once more stirs and her eyes flutter open. She sits up slowly, the jacket falling on her shoulders in a perfect fit. Her cheeks are pink from the cool night wind and her eyes seem to hold a brighter sparkle.

She turns to the figure beside her. "Sora, you come back." She says softly.

"I have. Do you still want me to help find your sister?" Her radiant smile is enough to warm him in the cool atmosphere. "Come on, let's go."

Kairi leap to her feet immediately. "I know where, I remember!" she says excitedly.

Sora finds himself smiling goofily as Kairi prance about like a lively dog, urging him to follow. "This way!"

She suddenly bolts from Willow Park, laughing as Sora stumbles to catch up with her. She leads him around the school, past the alley they met and towards a tall building full of apartments. Sora walks to a stop beside her as she is rooted to the spot, staring at the window of one apartment. It is the only one with the lights on.

"Sora…can you please go in?" Kairi whispers in awe as she continues to stare fixed at the window.

"Sure. I'll come with you." Sora confirms but is astonished when Kairi pulls away from his hand.

"No. I don't want to." She says, smiling. Is she playing with him, in a game?

"But…do you want to find your sister?" Sora asks curiously.

She merely nods but then says, "You must go, Sora. Please, for me. I'm scared of…" She never finishes her sentence.

Sora tries to search in her eyes but he only found innocence and puzzlement in her own blue orbs.

"Okay," Sora says finally. "If it means so much to you."

The red head is only a tiny red dot in the distance as he breaks away from her and walks to the mysterious apartment.

…..

DINGDONG! DINGDONG!

The door bell rings merrily as Sora jabs it again and again. The door finally opens to reveal a tall middle-age woman with long black hair. Her clever brown eyes search him the moment the door opens and she finally opens it wide.

"Who are you, to come at this hour?" She asks pleasantly. A hand rests on her hip. It is clear she is very firm and tough for a lady.

"Is Kairi's sister here?" Sora asks graciously. To his surprise, the woman suddenly looks relieved.

"Oh, so Kairi's coming home? Where is she?" She cranes her neck to see behind him but is disappointed. "Where is she?"

"She's been finding her sister, Ma'am. But she doesn't want to come. I've been asked by her to go instead." Sora says cautiously.

"Oh?" The woman suddenly looks tired. "Well, if you must know…come in, come in."

Sora steps in, his feet unfamiliar to the polished floor as he threads in.

"Sit down." She commands and he obeys.

The woman herself nestles in the chair opposite of the sofa he is sitting on. "About Kairi…ah, she says she wants to find her sister?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Call me Tifa. I'm no mistress from the high and mighty!" She barks. "Anyways…"

"How much do you know about her sister?" The question startles him.

"Uh, I know that she's an artist but that's all." Tifa's eyes soften.

"Yes. Do you know why she doesn't want to come?" It seems very direct.

"No." Sora answers truthfully.

"She's afraid to find out, to remember the present. She's afraid of the present, you see."

"Present…?"

"The past is still stuck in her time line and she has no way to move forwards. Her family and friends all die right in front of her during the Columbine shooting, you see."

"You mean, Columbine High?" Sora asks curiously.

"Yes, yes. They all die. Her parents are teachers of that school, you see and they are having a dance at that time. She must be very happy to let herself be embedded to the past like that." Tifa sighs. "They all die, her friends, family and even her boyfriend."

"Boy friend? She has a boy friend?"

Tifa chuckles. "You're so much like him. Maybe that's why she's so attached to you."

Sora remains silent as he tries to process the information. "Anyway, they are all dead in front of her. She wants to die along with them too but they are caught just in time. Goes berserk, you see, and we decide to take her in. I'm her godmother."

"She is very attached to her sister and when her sister got shot, she went mad. She stills thinks and believes her sister's alive and she wants to find her. That's why she is homeschooled last week. She tends to wander too much. She might get hurt. She's nice and all but it only goes so far. She's weak yet strong. I don't know what to do anymore. If she's hurt…" Her voice shakes and stops.

"I'll protect her." Sora promises suddenly. "I'll make sure no one hurt her, Tifa."

She smiles wanly. "Ah, Ventus' spirit lives in you. You'll make a fine companion."

The door from one of the corridor suddenly opens noisily as a black haired girl emerges from it. "Mom, is Kairi home?" She asks hopefully.

"Sorry, Xion dear. She still can't go back." Tifa says sadly.

The girl chews her lips and she slips silently into the living room to the main door of the house. Her blue eyes, so much like Kairi's, stares down the dark corridor of the building, waiting.

Sora takes advantage of the still silence to reflect, his habit kicking in again. Kairi…so much happy yet so sad, weak yet strong and acts like an angel though she stills hold devils from her past.

He never knew. He lost both his parents but decides to bury it all but Kairi lost both family and friends and see them al die in front of her eyes and stays stuck, unable to move. Her mind is trapped and he must help her release it, one day somehow. He himself must confront his past.

The silence is shattered when Xion suddenly exclaims. "Kairi! Mom, Kairi's here. Namine's here too."

Tifa lifts herself up from the armchair and she hurries to the door. Sora too follows though he thought that he should not join in the reunion. He isn't a part of their family; he certainly has none.

A figure emerges from the end of the corridor. Sora is startled as he recognizes the girl at the jasmine tree supporting Kairi on one side. The daily visitor supports her from another side.

"Sister…where is she?" Kairi says weakly as she tries to smile.

"In heaven. Kairi, you will join her when you're ready. You'll reunite with her once more. But be patient." The blond girl coos as she tries to soothe her.

"Believe me, miracles can happen." The blond boy says and they both (Namine and Roxas) look into each other's eyes and smiles secretly.

Her eyes lift up and suddenly found the lone figure behind Tifa. "Sora!" she says happily and the focus is now on him. She removes herself from their support and slowly walks towards him. In mid step, she suddenly collapses and Sora neatly catches her in his arms.

"Idiot." He says but the smile never leaves him. He feels some warm liquid flowing from his burning eyes and he wipes it away. He is surprise, however, to find moisture on his hand. Is he crying, he who is strong?

"I must be weak, very weak to cry." Sora laughs through his tears.

"Nothing can make you weak but yourself. Tears certainly don't. In fact, it may make you stronger." The blond guy says. "I learn it the hard way but hey, it is all good at the end."

Namine giggles as they lace their fingers together.

"She must be exhausted. I'll get her to bed." Xion volunteers and she removes Kairi from a reluctant Sora. He let her go and can only watch as she disappears from view. Namine too disappears inside and Tifa greets them goodbye.

"Come back again, won't you, Roxas, Sora?" They both nod their heads and they too bid goodbye before walking away.

"So…" Roxas starts as they walk on. "What's your story?"

"Me…How about yours?" Sora answers him smartly back.

"Well," He grins and his little tale is once again poured out. (Read prequel Wrinkle in time).

"Oh." Sora says afterwards. "So…"

"Yep. Miracles do happen but we needn't know how." Roxas says. "But sometimes, we do need to make it happen ourselves. Well," He suddenly stops as the path branch two ways. "I've got to go."

"'K bye." Sora promptly replies as the blond guy goes on his way. As his figure too finally goes out, Sora fingers his mobile phone. Should he…?

He immediately flips it open and dials the number in his thoughts for a long time. It vibrates. Too late to back out now. Sora takes a deep breath and put it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello?" came an old and croaky voice from the other end.

"Dad?"

….

Sora would have admitted himself to be killed rather than being stuck in a situation like this but it changes when he meets Kairi. But now, he's not too sure.

An old wizened man with only a wisp of grey hair on his head is seen sitting beside him, on the bench in Willow Park. He might be old but he still keeps true to his name, Tobu. He's Sora's father.

They enjoy the silence for a while in this odd hour but Mr Tobu breaks the silence first.

"Son…" Sora flinches at the word he never uses. Mr Tobu clears his throat again. "Sora…"

"Father." Sora says flatly.

"I know that your mother's death is hard on you. I should have known what to do the signs are so clear but like you…I run away from them. It's my fault." He says bitterly. "A father should have known that his duty is to his son, not his grief of his wife. I don't blame you for running. I never blame you for leaving me in all these years. I should have been a better father though and I failed."

His apology somehow lifts something in Sora, the dam that controls his emotions. The water doesn't gush out and pains him like it used to when it's broken. In fact, it felt like it was never there.

"Father?"

"Yes, Sora?"

"I'm sorry too."

Sora close his eyes, expecting silence but a warm body hugs him and for the first time since his mother's death, he feels small and safe, wrapped up in his father's arms.

"I love you, Sora."

"Me too,father. Me too." Once again, his eyes burn and the warm tears flow but this is no longer weakness. He hugs his frail body back.

The two surviving members of Tobu's family lay there, hugging each other and filling in the years of darkness and spite with such simple gestures. Words are not needed, only each other.

….

THREE WEEKS LATER

Spring, after being held down by Winter for three months, seems to try its best to make up for the lost time it has been away. The trees now blossom so beautifully same said for the critters as they shed their winter coat after a few weeks in spring, showing their flashy fur and feathers in the spring air.

Tifa and her three daughters, Mr Tobu, Sora and Roxas are all gathered near the graveyard beside Willow Park, a small yet lively group. It is Mrs Tobu's death anniversary. The grave stone is weathered away and chipped in some places but the carved words and numbers are still clear on its grey surface.

Sora, with a bunch of tulips in his hands, kneels down and places it on the small garden in front of the grave stone. "I love you, mom. You may not teach me everything yet, I learn. You can rest now." With those words, he returns to the group milling around the graveyard. He smiles at his father who looks less haggard now and much plumper. His father nods and proceeds to go to Mrs Tobu's grave.

The other members of the party all pat him in the back, wishing his mother well. Sora merely shrugs the comments off but he accepts it anyway. His searching for someone though…

Kairi is seen sitting by herself as she looks at all the headstones in the graveyard. Sora joins her and sits silently beside her and too surveys the view in front.

"So…how do you feel about your mother?" she asks.

"I know she's finally at peace." Sora replies but that is not the way he wants the conversation to go.

"I know. My sis just came to tell me she met your mother in heaven." Kairi says brightly.

Sora keeps his comments to himself. Whether she's right or not doesn't matter. She's healing too with her family and him as the catalyst. But she's the same innocent girl he met at the alley.

"Hey…about Ventus." Sora starts and Kairi suddenly giggles.

"Ventus too. He told me something odd though." Kairi says, frowning.

Sora's heart suddenly beats too rapidly. His face is flushed. "Uh…wha?"

"About you. Says I make a great choice in choosing you to replace him. I wonder…" Kairi says as her eyes glaze over.

Sora blushed intensely. "I think I know what he's trying to say."

Kairi looks surprised. "You do? What is it?"

"I…I like, no…love you." He stammers and his hand is now a mass of fingers intertwining each other.

"You do?" Kairi says softly but Sora doesn't see her face smiling so happily and radiantly in many years. He's looking down at his fingers.

Gently, Kairi puts her hand on his mass of intertwined fingers. "Me too,Sora." And with that, she puts both hands on his.

Slowly, Sora unwinds his fingers and out his arm around Kairi's shoulder. He pulls her closer and Kairi puts her head on his shoulder.

"He's right, Ventus." Kairi says as they watch the critters playing around playfully and the butterflies fluttering in a cloud of colors.

…..

**Ah, next, is RIKUXXIONXAXEl. Which couple should it be?**

**Pls review. BTW I can't update that soon. Exams around and im drowning in a cuppa homework.**


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